Apparatus for balancing wheel assemblies



Aug. 24, 1965 L. A. ROSENBLUM 3,201,997

APPARATUS FOR BALANCING WHEEL ASSEMBLIES Filed May 10, 1963 sSheets-Sheet 1 INVE R.

65M 3 Arro 1965 L. A. ROSENBLUM 3,201,997

APPARATUS FOR BALANCING WHEEL ASSEMBLIES Filed May 10, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1557'5/74/705f/V510M 1955 A. ROSENBLUM3,201,997

APPARATUS FOR BALANCING WHEEL ASSEMBLIES Filed May 10, 1963 I 3Sheets-Sheet 3 fii irii -/9 /7 I /Z I r m I NVENTOR.

Affff/P/i/HQSZ/VELUM United States Patent Oilice 3,21,997 Patented Aug.24;, 1965 Lester A.

This invention relates to wheel assembly balancing, and moreparticularly to apparatus for determining the unbalanced condition of awheel assembly, and the positions at which may be applied weights foroffsetting the unbalanced condition.

The invention aims to provide an improved apparatus for quick, easy, andaccurate determination of the location of and measurement of the excessweight of the heavy spot on a Wheel assembly, and plotting of the pointswhere the counter balancing weights are to be applied.

A further invention object is to provide a simply designed, durablyconstructed, and easily operated portable apparatus or device forbalancing a wheel assembly.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of thefollowing specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wheel balancing device as applied toa wheel and tire assembly, and shown as set up for weighing the heavyspot on the wheel;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the rear side of the front upright of thedevice;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the wheel balancer as applied to a wheel,drum and tire assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of elements ofthe heavy spotposition weighing unit of the device;

FIG. 5 is a similarly enlarged view in perspective of the heavy spotposition determining means of the device; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the disc mountingassemblies of the device.

'In the preferred embodiment of the drawings the wheel assemblybalancing device comprises a base or stand ill which maybe movablysupported on casters or the like, and a pair of similar, opposedsupporting legs or uprights 11, 12, rigidly mounted at the opposite endsof the stand. The uprights are vertically slotted at their upper ends toreceive each a pair of discs 13, l3, l4, 14, which discs are mounted inthe slots in horizontally spaced, overlapping relationship such thattheir intersecting upper margins define notches or Vs, FIG. 2.

In accordance with the invention, the discs 13, 1d are centrallyapertured to receive ball bearing assemblies 15, FIG. 6, in which theengagement of the balls with the races is deliberately made loose,whereby the hearing assemblies and with them the discs are permittedsome freedom of movement about both the horizontal and the verticalaxis. The bearing assemblies 15 are rotatably mounted in turn on axles16 received'in the slots in the uprights and held there by screw or thelike fastening s 17 passed through openings in the uprights and threadedinto the ends of the axles from the opposite sides of the uprights. Thediscs are staggered in the upright slots by oppositely or reverselymounting on the axles of the disc pairs a washer l8 and a spacer 19, thespacer having a lateral extent greater than that of the washer ascalculated to produce the desired offset of the discs of the pair.

The discs 13, 14, will be understood to be carefully ground at theirouter peripheries to be perfectly round and also to uniformly parallelat their peripheral margins the transverse axes of the discs, andfurther to be balanced to render the wheel mounting system free fromgravitational influence.

A wheel supporting spindle or arbor 20 is removably positioned or seatedin the aforesaid notches or Vs delined by, and so as to turn freelywith, the independently rotating discs 1.3, M. The surface of the arbor20 is also ground and polished to a perfectly round, smooth conditionwhereby it will and by its own weight effect the alignment therewith ofthe discs as permitted by their above described loose mounting.

Under the invention, then, the wheel assembly suspension systemcomprising the discs 13, 14 and arbor 2%, being substantiallyfrictionless and balanced as just indicated, will assume any randomposition of orientation when a balanced wheel as embly is appliedthereto, and will permit an unbalanced wheel assembly applied thereto toorient itself by gravity, and more particularly to come to rest with theheavy spot directly underlying the axis of suspension, without exertingany gravity influence on that.

The invention device comprises further a duplicate pair of balancedcones 21, 22 slidably received on the arbor. The cones 21, 22 mayalternately be faced oppositely inward for engaging in the smalleropenings of a drum, wheel, and tire assembly, B.D.H. FIG. 2 or beoriented with one cone faced inwardly and the other outwardly to engagerespectively the larger opening of and the opposite face of a wheel andtire assembly W, FIG. 1; and they are securable in either relationshipby a stop (not shown) on one side and a lock nut 23, turned up on arborthreads 2 516.2, at the other side of the cone assembly.

it will be understood that when an unbalanced wheel is mounted on thearbor 263 the center point of the excess weight of. the wheel assembly,known as the heavy spot, will swing rapidly to, and come to rest at, abottom position wherein it vertically underlies the arbor. The functionof the wheel balancer is first to fix or determine the radial locationof the heavy spot on the wheel assembly, which may or may not in therest position coincide with the vertical center line of the uprights 11,12 according as the ilooor on which the base it stands is or is notperfectly level, or horizontal.

To accomplish this there is provided a heavy spot position determiningmeans 25 rotatably mounted on the arbor 20 outside one of the uprightsand comprising a downwardly extending arm 26, and in the illustratedform also a pair of upwardly extending arms 27, 27 equidistantly spacedradially from the downwardly extending arm 26. The position determiningmeans 25 comprises further a spirit level 28 positioned normal or atright angles to the arm 25 so as to center the bubble when that arm isexactly vertical.

Under the invention the exact position of the heavy spot of the wheel.assembly, which generally will not coincide with the center line of theuprights as exaggeratedly shown for the sake of illustration in FIG. 5,is determined simply by rotating member 25 on the arbor 20 until thebubble is centered in level 28, and the arm 26 is thus lined up With theheavy spot. The position determining means 25 is then fixed relative toarbor Ztlas by turning up clamp screw 29 thereagainst; and the try witha mating passage orslot 30, 1516.:5, formed; at

the vertical center line fof. the upright 12 behind the arm 26. Theparts are then secured in th'e'lined-up position by inserting a lockingpin 31, FIG. 1 into the. apertures: 26a;

30 which will be understood to be of a proportion closely 1 fitting thepin 31 and of adepth engaging that over a t sufficient length torigidlyanchor the parts inthe described relation.

3 to produce light spots on the wheel rim; t

- It will be understood that the described arrangement 'right angles tothe arms towards the wheel assembly and of the arms is such as tomaintain between the light spots the jsameconstant included angle andthus to triangulate the difierent' size vwheel assemblies with the lightspots being always equidistant fromthe arbor. 20 and from the 1 rim R atthe heavy spot. v V

V .Inythe-operation of 'theiarms40, '41 for marking the 1 spots on thewheel to which counter balancing weights are 7 to be applied; the. lamps47f'are turned on by the switch The uprights 11, 12 are formed at theirvertical center fix or show .the spot the operator simply inserts apencil or other marking means through the guide'slot and marks the-spotin desired manner. i

a lines with 'guideslots 32, 33 which'are now seen'to be I lined up withthe heavy spotof the wheel assembly, To

Under one mode of practisingthe invention then-heavy 'spot is-nextweighed by rotating the'heavy spot to a readily accessible position andthen attaching to the wheel 'a gauge .contactor comprising a-block 34,FIG. 4, re-

' movably secured by a clamp screw 35 andhaving a flatupper-face onwhich is pivotally' supported a horizontally extending arm 36-, whichmay be positioned to overlie a;

'weight gauge 37 which is compensated for; the weight of the contactorand carried onan1arm'38 mounted for "horizontal shifting'ina slide 39 onupright12; Thegauge 37 conveniently is positioned exactly-at the correctlateral distance from the vertical centerline (which is one half thespecified wheel diameter) byproviding suitable indicia (not shown) onthe arm'38, which'indicia maybe matched against a fixed reference markor pointeron the upright 12..' H

The device is next manipulated to locate a pair of spots at which may bemounted counterbalancing Weights calculated'to offset or counterbalancethe out of balance condition of the wheel assembly. Thesecounterbalancing 7 spots will under the invention be located at theother side of the wheel assembly from and equidistant fromthe heavyspot. The locating may-bedone underone procedure by simply'bringing theleft and right arms 27, FIG.

4, successively into registry of their 'openings'27a with the 7 uprightopening 30, and markingthe .two spots by suc-. y cessively insertingajpencil or the like'th'rough a guide slot 33, .in the similar manner ashereinbefore described for the'marking of the heavy spot. f

Under the preferred mode of practicing the invention;

this locating of the counter balancing spots may be-acco'm plished'evenmore simply and easily than as justdescribed, a

and coincident with; and without the necessityof wheel manipulationbeyond that required for, the locating of the heavyspot. To thatendltliere areprovided a pair of arms 40, 41 pivotally supportedat.their lowerends on a supported intermediate theirends on pivots 43,44, FIG.

2, .slidably engaged slots 45. 46; which areeurved about aradius wherebythe arms maynbe reciprocated be:; I tween the solid line anddashed linepositions shown. The

. 4'3, and the arms are thenextended the amount necessary to bringthe-light spots to the edge of the rim, whereupon they may bemarkedwithapencilorthe like.

"Iclaim: V V 1. A portable device for'determining the unbalance of awheel assemblyi'com'prising meanscomprising an arbor rotatably, mountingthe wheel assembly, means comprising a pair of uprights for supportingthe arbor atopposite sides vof thewheel'as'sembly in balance and. freefrom gravity influencewhe'reby the heavy spot of .the unbal- "ancedwheel-assembly1wi1l swing automatically to rest vertically below thearbor, means associated withjsaid uprights foraccurately guiding-means'for markingthe heavy jspot'jon the wheel assembly, means for'determining the :position of the heavy spot relative to the uprightswhereby f upon saidfdetermining the wheel assembly may be swung itobring said'heavy' spot intouregistry' with said guide means and theoperator-may-utilize said guiding means to marl; saidheavy spot, aweightgauge fixed on the device, a guage contactor mountable on the-rim ofsaid wheel :as'sembly'atthe heavyspotand adaptedto'transmit to saidgaugeithe excess weight of said heavy spot; and means for locating onsaidwheel assembly a pairof counter balancspots equidistant from saidheavy spot.

2. lThe'idevice 'of claim-J1 wherein the means. for determining theheavylspot-p'osition comprisesa member rotatably'mounted on-the arbor, alevel fixed to said member, means for clamping the member to the arborwhen the wheel assembly has come to rest-and with the level in 'thehorizontal position and means carriedby'said member and extendingdownwardly at rightfangles to the-level and in line with the "heavyspot;said downwardly extending means representing the position of the heavyispotin relation to the'position' of theupright' 3. Thedevice of claim 2and meansassociated with 7 said position relatingimeans for momentarilylocking the jwheel assembly with said'heavy spot'in registry with saidupright guide means. a

The device of claim 3 whereinthe downwardlyiextending means.carried' bysaidmembericomprises' an arm ,having a passage therethrough, and whereinthe associated locking meanscornprisesa mating passage through describedmounting of .the ar rns' 40, "41 1 to permit their thereof are,in'.the...outer.or'operating portion of their f inward-outward movement,held to the same attitude or T inclination. e 1 I '5 Inaccordancewiththe invention the arms are I j 7 provided -';.each with:means such as lamp 1 which 1 may begsupplied by .a battery- (notr;shown)iaiid' controlledr by a switch 48,:FIG; 1}: together with alens-49 forproducing an'd direc'ting. a beam f'of light coaxially with'the arms; I

The arms 40,- 41' are -p'rovidedifurther with rnirrors 5 0 7 angledatabout 45 w deflect' the lightbearris at 'ab'o'ut over theweight gauge: I

. 9. The device. of

' T member 42 slidably engaged in guide slot'33, and'bein gfv l jP i dfgP i m y i s in d P sages, Z V p 'SJ'The device of *claim'l, whereinsaid guide means 1s Ia slot in"the upright andzthrough which may beinserted apencil-for, marking the heavy spot;

1 IGL TheIdeviceof claim 1 wherein the weightgauge ;is r'nountedgon anarm, andthe uprighthasa lateral slide 'receivingsaid-arm whereby thegauge position may be adjusted toudiiferentsizesof wheel'assembly.

"7; The device of claim 1 wherein the contactor'com- :prises a clampadapted to be releasablyfast'ened to the rim of thewheh andan-'ar'mgpivotally mounted on said clampflto extend laterally outward'to andbe. positioned I 8." The device of claim wherein'thecounterbalancing spot locating means comprisesa pairof arms fixed onsaid position determining means; said arms oriented equidistant fromsaid downwardly directed means and adapted tion to saidiup righti;

fto be successively brought into marl; guiding rela- V I claim 1,wherein said counter bal z'a'ncing, spot locating meansicomprisesafpair of arms mounted on said upright to project equidistantly fromsaid downwardly projecting means and to be extensible to triangulatedifferent sizes of Wheel assembly.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said arms mount spot indicating meanscomprising light sources in and aimed in parallelism with the arms, andmirrors carried by said arms for bending the light beams to impinge onthe Wheel assembly.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the mounting means comprises a pairor" duplicate, balanced cones slidable on the arbor and alternativelyengageable both faceto-face in smaller openings of a drum, wheel andtire assembly, and face-to-back in the larger opening of and against theopposite face of a wheel and tire assembly.

Reierences (Iiteil by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C.QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

JAMES J. GILL, Examiner.

1. A PORTABLE DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE UNBALANCE OF A WHEEL ASSEMBLYCOMPRISING MEANS COMPRISING AN ARBOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING THE WHEELASSEMBLY, MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF UPRIGHTS FOR SUPPORTING THE ARBORAT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY IN BALANCE AND FREE FROM GRAVITYINFLUENCE WHEREBY THE HEAVY SPOT OF THE UNBALANCED WHEEL ASSEMBLY WILLSWING AUTOMATICALLY TO REST VERTICALLY BELOW THE ARBOR, MEANS ASSOCIATEDWITH SAID UPRIGHTS FOR ACCURATELY GUIDING MEANS FOR MARKING THE HEAVYSPOT ON THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF THEHEAVY SPOT RELATIVE TO THE UPRIGHTS WHEREBY UPON SAID DETERMINING THEWHEEL ASSEMBLY MAY BE SWUNG TO BRING SAID HEAVY SPOT IHTO REGISTRY WITHSAID GUIDE MEANS AND THE OPERATOR MAY UTILIZE SAID GUIDING MEANS TO MARKSAID HEAVY SPOT, A WEIGHT GAUGE FIXED ON THE DEVICE, A GAUGE CONTACTORMOUNTABLE ON THE RIM OF SAID WHEEL ASSEMBLY AT THE HEAVY SPOT ANDADAPTED TO TRANSMIT TO SAID GAUGE THE EXCESS WEIGHT OF SAID HEAVY SPOT,AND MEANS FOR LOCATING ON SAID WHEEL ASSEMBLY A PAIR OF COUNTERBALANCING SPOTS EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID HEAVY SPOT.